According to Passage 2, what does 'existence precedes essence' (line 17) mean?

Answer the questions based on the following passages.

Passage 1                               

            Absurdity is a conjoining theme to existentialism. It is a
            concept which rises with a contrast between two aspects
            of human need and the fallacious quietness of the world.
            It’s true that mankind survives in a world that is and will
(5)        always be inimical and detached towards its requirements.
            The universe will never cater to humanity as the latter wants
            to. The non believers believe that people create legends or
            unrealistic pictures of God to fill this hollowness in an
            endeavor to satisfy their faith.
(10)      Basically absurdism is not an existentialist outlook. Its
            potent idea surfaces around the assumption that everything
            must have an intention which could give a reason to survive.
            But if every achieved height has a higher aim ahead, what
            is the purpose of the one that has been achieved? If all
(15)      mankind is a creation of the Almighty then who created HIM?
            So, all belief in God remains questionable, and his identity
            as absurd. Canaus suggested suicide the best reaction to
            absurdity though it was not very effective and potent in result.
            Critics support an altogether different philosophy. They
(20)      believe that instead of ending a purposeless life one
            should learn the art of coping with or retaliating against
            this lack of purpose and this should act as a motivation to
            mankind to live a life full of free will. Some consider this
            philosophy to be haughty because if the purpose of life
(25)      cannot be seen distinctly it does not mean that its existence
            is challenged.
            The absurdist drama’s role was not to dispirit the audience
            with adverse feelings but to give them a translucent picture
            of actuality so that they could comprehend their own
(30)      purpose in life. This theatre came after the Second World
            War. Its roots were embedded in existentialism. This form
            catered to the rationally inexplicable that is often called
            Absurd. This style caught the audience fascination a little
            too late because of its illogical approach. The plots often
(35)      diverged from the conventional structure and seemed to
            compass the same events, probably ending at the same
            argument it began with. The colloquy was nit witted and
            the scenic background was unacknowledgable.

Passage 2

            The existentialists showed undoubted love for life. They
            were cynically optimistic because of their inclination to their
            material pursuits. They had a centralized disposition,
            freedom of will and an attitude of self adjudgement, in
(5)        themselves. Sartre, Camus and Beckett all began from this
            philosophy but Beckett later took up as an absurdist. He
            called this world a mound of meaninglessness giving way
            to pessimism.
            But the question arises that if life is so meaningless then
(10)      why are we striving, why are we not resting ironically in
            death. If death is the ultimate motive, why is that we are
            undergoing so much stress. Sartre had no belief in deific
            element. He registered that no essences existed before
            mankind unlike the believers of God who think Almighty
(15)      primarily created the essences of the world and then
            created the human race. Hence existentialism believed
            ‘existence precedes essence’. Sartre being a rigid
            existentialist, believed the precedence of God’s presence
            to be a farce.
(20)      This is how existentialism gave way to Absurdity. If
            existentialists believe in the absence of God then there is
            no purpose or value left, which makes the world an
            unworthy, irrelevant, inanimate and vacant place called
            absurd. These ideas gained precedence when the society
(25)      was facing despondency of World War II. All belief in
            sanctity of life had been shattered.
            Existentialists agreed that all distress and devastations
            make life an ungratified experience. Slowly one loses the
            meaning of life. Hence existentialism helps one in his
(30)      journey and in scanning the real self and personal meaning
            of life. The existentialists did not want any power or beliefs
            overpower this motive because these could hamper
            individualism and suppress human desire. Existentialists
            believe that personal judgment predestined a person’s
(35)      fellowship either to an autocrat’s religion or to a secular
           free will.